Sheet metal snap fastener



Nov. 24, 1953 G. A. :TINNERMAN SHEET MEETAL SNAP FASTENER Original FiledMarch 17, 1948 INVENTOR. GZ-aeai A. 774/4/68 "4/1/ Arron/ER PatentedNov. 24, 1953 SHEET METAL SNAP FASTENER 7 George A. Tinnerman,Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Tinnerman Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Original application March 1'7, 1948, Serial No.

15,477, now Patent No. 2,578,381, dated December 11, 1951.

Divided and this application October 30, 1951, Serial No. 253,893

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to cabinet constructions and the likeand deals more particularly, with improvements in the mounting andattachment of various types of finishing objects in the form of elongatecover plates or .trim strips commonly known as breaker strips, sealingstrips, etc., in any such installation. This application is a divisionof application Serial Number 15,477 filed March 17, 1948 and issuedDecember 11, 1951 as U. S. Patent Number 2,578,381.

In the fabrication of refrigerator door structures, refrigerator casingsand similar types of cabinet structures, it is usually necessary ordesirable that a trim strip, breaker strip or other finishing object besecured in desired position in the completed structure by an operationtak: ing place entirely from the outer or readily accessible side of theassembly inasmuch as the rearward or reverse side thereof seldom isconveniently or readily accessible for the application of fasteningmeans for this purpose. The present invention contemplates in generalthe mounting and attachment of various types of trim strips, breakerstrips, and the like in cabinet constructions and similar structures bythe provision of attaching or connecting means on the body of thebreaker strip or other finish ng object for accommodating springfastening means adapted for snap fastening engagement with flangeportions of the cabinet structure in a manner whereby the mounting maybe easily and quickly effected entirely from outside of the installationin a minimum of time and effort.

The breaker strips, trim strips, and similar finishing objects areusually relatively simple designs which may be most economicallyprovided in the form of elongate plate-like articles of relatively thincross section and made of molded plastic materials in a simple moldingoperation or in the manner of simple sheet metal stampings, castings, orthe like. The breaker strips or other finishing objects areadvantageously provided in this manner in that there are no projectingparts thereon subject to breakage and the same otherwise may becompactly packaged to reduce the cost of shipping and handl ng to aminimum. When prepared for installation in an assembly, the breakerstrips or other finishing objects are provided with connecting means foreasy and quick attachment thereto ofsprmg clip fastening devicesdesigned for mounting the breaker strip in the assembly by substantialsnap fastening action, .as aforesaid, or otherwise adapted to providethe desired interlock between the finishing object and the supportingstructure. Such connecting means may be provided in any suitable form ordesign in the manner of a connecting rib, flange, block or stud, or thelike, either as an integral portion of the breaker strip or as aseparate element secured to the underside thereof in any suitable way asby an adhesive, welding or other securing means for uniting the same tothe breaker strip in a concealed joint in which such securing means isnot visible on the outer or exposed surface of the breaker strip orother finishing object.

A primary object of the invention, therefore, is to provide variousimproved constructions for mounting a breaker strip, trim strip or otherfinishing object in a cabinet or casing structure or the like, such asdescribed, comprising a finishing object having a relatively simpledesign in the form of a strip, plate or similar member which is preparedwith integral connecting means or otherwise provided with separateconnecting means for the attachment of spring clip fastening devices forsecuring the breaker strip in as assembly by an operation taking placeentirely from outside the assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide various installations ofthis character comprising improved forms of spring fasteners which aredesigned for use in accordance with the nature of the installation andthe formation and design of the breaker strip and the supportingstructure on which the breaker strip is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide various improvedinstallations of the kind referred to which are admirably suited for themounting of a breaker strip or other finishing 'object of relativelywide cross section by spring clip fasteners of relatively smaller size.

An additional object of the invention is to provide variousinstallations such as described in which the spring fasteners aredesigned for easy and quick attachment to the breaker strip or otherfinishing object in the manner of simple clip devices and are otherwiseadapted for snap fastening engagement with the adjacent flange structureof the cabinet, casing or other supporting part on which the breakerstrip is mounted.

Further objects and advantages, and other new and useful features in theconstruction, arrangement and general combination of parts of theinvention will be readily apparent as the following description proceedswith reference to the accompanying drawings, for purposes of 3illustration but not of limitation, in which like reference charactersdesignate like parts throughout, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view representing a construction such as employedin the fabrication of the Walls or door of a refrigerator, for example,which comprises spaced panels or liners and a breaker strip or sealingstrip, or the like, mounted in position for closing and covering thespace at the ends of said panels or liners;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side or edge elevational view of the fastenershown employed in Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the fastener per se shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 of a further installationin accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is a side or end view of the fastener shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the fastener per se; and,

Fig. '7 is a side or edge elevational view of the fastener shown inFigs. 4-6, inclusive.

The various attaching means of the invention are particularly suited fora wide range and variety of applications and uses for mounting orsecuring an object or part on a supporting structure by concealedfasteners. The attaching means of the invention, accordingly, comprisefasteners of general utility which are highly advantageous in that theyinvolve only inexpensive, one-piece sheet metal attaching ciips andotherwise eliminate the need for bolts, screws, nuts and similarfasteners which require time consuming f assembling operations. Afurther advantage in the use of the improved attaching means resides inthe fact that an assembly may be completely installed in applied mountedposition on a supporting structure from the outer or readily accessibleside without need for access to the inner or rearward side of theinstallation as is required in the use of the usual nut and bolt type offasteners. For purposes of illustration, the various forms of theinvention are disclosed in connection with installations for cabinet andcasing.

structures such as employed in refrigerators and the like, but it is tobe understood that the improved attaching means are not limited to thetypes of installations herein illustrated and described, but rather, areequally adaptable to various other similar and related types ofassemblies.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates byway of example, a general construction of the walls surrounding thestorage space of a refrigerator cabinet, including the usual hinged doorforming one of such walls. Such a wall construction usually comprisesspaced inner and outer wall panels or liners having the spacetherebetween filled with a suitable heat insulating material.

In the present example, the wall construction comprises an outer panelor liner 69 having an inturned flange 62 and an inner wall or structuralmember 6| having a relatively wide flange 63 formed with a corrugation64 defining a seat for one side of the breaker strip C. Such a breakerstrip C or other finishing object preferably is provided in a relativelysimple design in the form of an elongate plate-like article made ofmolded plastic material, or composition or fibre board, or as a simplesheet metal stamping, casting, or the like. Such breaker strips or otherfinishing objects preferably are provided in this manner inas- -much asthere are no projecting parts thereon ing object and the supportingstructure.

subject to breakage and the same otherwise may be compactly packaged toreduce the cost of shipping and handling to a minimum. When prepared forinstallation in an assembly, the breaker strips or other finishingobjects are provided with the required connecting means to which springclip fastening devices may be attached for mounting the breaker strip inthe installation by substantial snap fastening action, or by otherwiseproviding the desired interlock between the finish- Such connectingmeans may be provided in any suitable form or design in the manner of aconnecting rib, flange, block or stud, or the like, either as anintegral portion on the underface of the breaker strip or as a separateelement secured to the underside thereof in any suitable way as byadhesive, welding or other securing means to unite the same to thebreaker strip in a concealed joint in which the securing means is notvisible on the outer or exposed surface of the breaker strip or otherfinishing object. 1

In this relation, a further advantage is obtained by the presentinvention in that it is often necessary or desirable for a saving inmaterial that the breaker strip, sealing strip or other finishing objectbe of comparatively thin cross section and usually of insufiicientthickness to conceal a metallic insert or threaded screw fastening. -Inthe instant construction, the use of threaded fastenings is avoided andby employing the improved attaching clips in combination with theconnecting means provided on the underside of the breaker strip, asaforesaid, the breaker strip or other finishing object may be providedin any selected decorative configuration and of relatively thin crosssection, and yet rigidly and securely mounted onto the supporting wallsor other supporting structure and by completely concealed fasteningmeans which do not mar or detract from the appearance of the breakerstrip or other finishing object in mounted position. a

The breaker strip C, in the present example, comprises an elongaterelatively thin body 65 made of plastic or other suitable material, asaforesaid, and is provided with an integral-connecting block or ribportion 56 which is defined by longitudinal slots or grooves 6'?extending into said body of the breaker strip in inwardly inclinedangular relation. The angular slots 6'! form undercut abutments 68 forthe attachment of the required clip fasteners Hi, which provide' a snapfastening mounting of the breaker strip on the end portions of theflanges 62, 63.

The attaching clip Hi is an inexpensive article of manufacture which maybe readily provided from any suitable sheet metal or wire materialpreferably spring metal or cold rolled metalhaving springcharacteristics. Such fasteners 'lli'a're in the nature of spring clipswhich are formed from a suitable blank ofsheet metal bent to define acentral base portion H which is generally arched or bowed to increasethe resiliency thereof and is provided with a suitable tool-receivingrecess F2 for receiving a tool which is used to facilitate theapplication of the clips to attached position on the breaker strip.Onop'posi'te sides of the fastener base ll, integral'spaced projectionsdefining spaced attaching and holding" tabs 73 are bent downwardly ininwardly inclined relation to each other at an angle approximating theinclination of the abutments -68'"formed by the slots or grooves 61inthe body of the breaker strip, as aforesaid. The tabs 13, accordingly,define substantial cleats which provide arigidnonrotatable attachment ofthe fastener base H to the connecting block or rib portion 66 of thebreaker strip.

Integral extensions on said fastener base II between the tabs I3 providearms I5, 16, which are bent generally upwardly from said fastener basein opposite relation to the tabs I3. The arm I5 is provided in the formof a short relatively rigid shoulder adapted for an interlocking,positive clasping relation with the inturned flange 63 of the innerstructural member 6 I. The cooperating arm I6 is a spring arm designedfor considerably greater resiliency and is provided in the form of arelatively large return bend having a rounded cam or guide surface 11leading to a shoulder 18 for engaging the edge of the flange 62 on theouter wall panel or liner 66, together with an adjacent lip portion I9for seating on the marginal portion of said flange 62 in the appliedfastening position of the clip, substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

With the breaker strip C and the clip fasteners I6 thus provided, asmany of such clips as are necessary are attached to the connecting blockor rib 66 on the breaker strip along the path which the breaker stripextends in mounted position on the flanges 62, 63. The attachment of aclip fastener I6 to the connecting block 66 of the breaker strip in thisform of the invention is easily and quickly effected by positioning thedownwardly bent tabs or cleats 73 over the end of the connecting block66 and sliding the fastener as necessary for said cleats to engage theinclined abutments 68 on the breaker strip, whereupon the clips arepushed longitudinally relatively to the breaker strip to the desiredlocation thereon. The attachment of the clips in this manner isfacilitated by the use of a pointed tool applied to the tool-receivingrecess I2 in the fastener base to compress the fastener base from itsgenerally arched or bowed formation, thus spreading the tabs 13 apart asnecessary to permit quick and easy sliding of the clip to attachedposition on the breaker strip. When the tool is removed, the fastenerbase tends to assume its initial bowed or arched formation and therebydraws the tabs 13 inwardly toward each other into rigid and positiveengagement with the abutments 68 so that the clip fastener is held inrigidly attached position on the breaker strip under spring tension.

With the required clip fasteners thus attached to the connecting block66, the mounting of the breaker strip on the flanges 62, 63 is effectedby moving the breaker strip laterally as necessary-to engage theclasping arm I5 of each clip with the underside of the inturned flange63 of the inner wall member, substantially as shown in Fig. 1. In thisposition, the rounded guide surface 11 on the resilient spring arm I6 isin position to cam against the end of the flange 62, and as pressure isexerted on the breaker strip, said spring arm I6 is compressed asnecessary for the retaining shoulder I8 thereon to snap into engagementwith the edge of said inturned flange 62. In this relation, saidshoulder 18 is supported in engagement with the flange 62 by the lip I9bearing on the adjacent marginal portion of said flange 62 and by theside body portions of the breaker strip C in the bearing engagement withthe adjacent surfaces of said flanges 62, 63.

Figs. 4-7, inclusive, disclose another form of the invention in whichthe breaker strip D is provided with an alternate type of connectingblock or rib which servessimilarly to that in the form of inventiondescribed with reference to Figs. 1-3, inclusive, and in which thhe clipfasteners are provided in an improved design comprising only a singlespring arm adapted to provide the desired mounting of the breaker stripin the completed installation. The wall structure comprises a panel 86having an inturned flange 8| and an associated panel 82 spaced therefromand having a flange 83 provided with openings in which rubber grommets84 I are secured. The flanges BI, 83, are connected by an inner spacermember 85 which is secured to the panel flange 8| by bolts or screws 86threaded into nut elements 81, while the flange 83 is secured to saidspacer member 85 by screws 88 extending through the grommets 84 andthreaded into nut elements 89 provided on outwardly bent integral wings96 stamped from said spacer member 85. The inner end of said wing 96,accordingly, defines a flange edge 92 in spaced relation to the flangeedge 93 on the inner end of the inturned flange 8| and these portions92, 93, thus define the spaced flanges of the cooperating wall panels orliners in the wall structure.

The breaker strip D comprises a relatively thin body 95 having alongitudinal connecting block or rib 96 which is angularly undercut todefine the abutments 91 on the sides thereof and is secured to thebreaker strip body 95 by cement or adhesive 98 or other suitable meanssuch as welding, or the like. The attaching clip I66 comprises a sheetmetal body bent to define a base I6I which preferably is formed with anarch or bow for added resiliency. Integral projections on opposite sidesof said fastener base are bent downwardly to define spaced attaching andholding tabs I63 extending inwardly in inclined relation toward eachother at an angle approximating the inclination of the abutments 91 onthe connecting block or rib .96. The tabs I63, accordingly, definesubstantial cleats which provide a rigid nonrotatable attachment of thefastener base to the connecting block or rib 96.

Preferably said tabs are formed at one end with outwardly flaredextremities I64, Figs. 5 and 6, which facilitate the initial applicationof the tabs I63 over the end of the connecting block and the sliding ofthe fasteners to the desired attached location on the breaker strip. Aportion of the fastener base I 6| includes an extension which is bentupwardly from the fastener base to provide a return bent spring arm I65extending in opposed relation to the tabs I03. The return bent springarm I65 is suitably formed to provide a resilient shoulder I 66 on theportion thereof depending from the fastener base and a cooperatingshoulder III'I on the extremity thereof while the intermediate roundedportions of the spring arm define cam-like guide surfaces I68.Preferably the spring arm is provided with a corrugation I69 adjoiningthe fastener base which strengthens and rigidifies said spring arm inthe completed clip structure.

The clip fastener I66 thus provided is attached to the connecting blockor rib 96 on the breaker strip in substantially the manner describedwith reference to Figs. 1-3, inclusive, by sliding the holding tabs I63over the end of the connecting block and advancing the clip to itsattached location on the breaker strip. With the required clip fastenersI66 thus attached to the breaker strip, the mounting of the breakerstrip on the flanges of the wall structure is effected easily andquickly by positioning the spring arm I65 in the seats in bearingengagement with the flange edge,

92. In this relation, the shoulders I96, I01, are

disposed in resilient engagement with the flange edges 92, 93, undercontinuously effective spring tension set u in the spring arm ascompressed in the applied mounted position of the breaker strip.

Although the various embodiments of the in vention are described inconnection with an insulated wall construction which is particularlyuseful in refrigerators and similar structures, it is to be understoodthat the invention is equally adaptable to various other similarapplications and uses in building constructions and the like within thegeneral scope and teachings of the instant disclosure.

The clip fastener in any form preferably is constructed of relativelythin sheet metal, the thickness of which is selected according toservice requirements and the predetermined size of the parts secured.The fasteners are most effective when provided of spring metal suitablyspring tempered and otherwise treated to give the desired toughness andhardness, particularly in the case of devices used in installationswhere extreme vibratory motion takes place. A cheap but effectivefastener may also be provided from cold rolled metal, such as coldrolled steel, which is untempered but of a spring metal nature andcapable of providing an effective and reliable fastening means.

While the invention has been described in detail with specific examples,such example are intended as illustrations only, inasmuch as it will beapparent that other modifications in the construction, arrangement andgeneral combination .of parts may be devised Without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. The prescut embodiments are thereforeto be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive,the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description, with all changes falling within thescope, meaning, and range of equivalency of the claims intended to beembraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1; A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal providing a base andspaced tabs at opposite ends of said base, and a spring arm extendingfrom a side portion of said fastener base, said spaced tabs projectingoutwardly from one surface of said fastener base in inwardly inclinedinverted substantially V-shaped relation for engaging correspondinglyinwardly inclined spaced abutments in inverted substantially V-shapedrelation on an object, and said spring arm projecting outwardly rom theopposite surface of said fastener base for securing said object to asupporting structure.

2. A fastener comprising a piece of sheet metal providing a base andspaced tabs at opposite ends of said base, and a spring arm extendingfrom a side portion of said fastener base, said spaced tabs projectingoutwardly from one surface of said fastener base in inwardly inclinedinverted substantially V-shaped relation for engaging correspondinglyinwardlyinclined spaced abutments in inverted substantially V-shapedrelation on an object, at least one of said spaced tabs having anoutwardly flared extremity for facilitating application of said tabs tosaid spaced abutments, and said spring arm projecting outwardly from theopposite surface of said fastener base for securing said object to asupporting structure.

GEORGE A. TI'NNERMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,884,135 Nett et a1. Oct. 25, 1932 2,144,171 Van Uum Jan. 17,1939 2,208,727 Marshall July 23, 1940 2,227,761 Roethel l Jan. 7, 19412,271,313 Sliger Jan. 27, 1942

